Before and After: 13 Stunning Room Transformations
Designers in Southern California turn a nearly empty shell into an inspiring showcase of interior style
A house that’s a hundred years old is bound to go through some design changes over the years. In the case of the 2017 Pasadena Showcase House of Design’s 1916 English Tudor, the rooms had been painted a variety of colors, ranging from pastels to bold shades. And someone was clearly a big fan of wooden window shutters.
The designers this year — each of whom decorated a room or suite in his or her own style — had their work cut out for them. They transformed a foyer where the intricate carved wood had been painted mint green and reconfigured a salmon-colored master bathroom. One of the most dramatic conversions may be that of the dilapidated garden cottage into a serene retreat that would be the envy of any gardener and bee lover.
The designers this year — each of whom decorated a room or suite in his or her own style — had their work cut out for them. They transformed a foyer where the intricate carved wood had been painted mint green and reconfigured a salmon-colored master bathroom. One of the most dramatic conversions may be that of the dilapidated garden cottage into a serene retreat that would be the envy of any gardener and bee lover.
AFTER: L’Esperance Design painted the wall wainscoting white, and artist Shari Tipich hand-painted the panels with scenes of trees, influenced by the estate’s exterior landscaping. The stairs’ green carpet was replaced with a statelier gray version. The ceiling received a modern trompe l’oeil design digitally produced on fabric.
Living Room
Design team: Robert Frank Interiors
BEFORE: Designer Robert Frank says the room was dark. Some of the original crown and casement molding had been removed.
Design team: Robert Frank Interiors
BEFORE: Designer Robert Frank says the room was dark. Some of the original crown and casement molding had been removed.
AFTER: Frank’s team restored the missing molding and lightened up the space by installing new recessed lighting and a center chandelier, and painting the ceiling, molding and trim in White Picket Fence by Dunn-Edwards. The design team skim-coated the walls and installed textural ivory grasscloth.
BEFORE: The upper windows facing the garden had shutters, the hardwood flooring was damaged and an aqua blue rug covered the floor.
AFTER: Frank replaced the shutters with new window treatments and installed a window seat with storage. The damaged hardwood flooring was painted, and the old aqua rug was replaced with a neutral-toned textural linen-cotton area rug. The fireplace and hearth were refaced with new statuary marble, the mantel was cleaned and the firebox was painted black.
Kitchen
Design team: D Christjan Fine Cabinetry Design & Manufacturing
BEFORE: The existing kitchen was a mishmash of yellow tile, Kelly green paint and sky blue counters.
Design team: D Christjan Fine Cabinetry Design & Manufacturing
BEFORE: The existing kitchen was a mishmash of yellow tile, Kelly green paint and sky blue counters.
AFTER: Out came walls and old counters and cabinets and in went furniture-grade cherry cabinets, handmade tile from a new Walker Zanger line for the backsplash and slab porcelain for the countertops. The ceiling was originally 10 feet high in most of the kitchen, and 9 feet high in what was a butler’s pantry and now is a wine bar area. General contractor Phill Vonk and his team lowered the ceilings to 9 feet throughout, leaving a 10-foot-high opening in the center to create a coffered ceiling that could accommodate lighting.
BEFORE: A blue backsplash and counters, yellow tile and green paint dominated the space.
AFTER: The new cabinets extend to the ceiling, and molding was added. Porcelain slab counters and Roman shade window treatments were installed, and of-the-moment appliances were added. The spoke-and-wheel-inspired faucet and farmhouse sink nod to traditional style.
Laundry Room
Designer: Dana Triano Designs
BEFORE: The kitchen’s green paint continued into the adjacent laundry room, where wood shutters dominated the windows. The room was probably once a porch that was later enclosed.
Designer: Dana Triano Designs
BEFORE: The kitchen’s green paint continued into the adjacent laundry room, where wood shutters dominated the windows. The room was probably once a porch that was later enclosed.
AFTER: Designer Dana Triano brightened this corner by removing the shutters and adding woven shades, which provide a view of the garden and allow in a lot of light. She removed the chair rail and replaced the baseboard with one that is more architectural.
BEFORE: This odd corner closest to the kitchen had another window with shutters and a white cabinet.
AFTER: The white cabinet got replaced with a narrow utility closet that’s big enough for an ironing board on one side and supplies on the other, and a deep utility sink was added. Triano put in picture rails and installed wallpaper between them and the ceiling.
AFTER: The window shutters were replaced by floor-to-ceiling sheers and heavier drapes. Designer Aaron B Duke furnished the room with modern luxuries and traditional items, including those belonging to the late Gerald “Jerry” Robertson, who designed the flagship Ralph Lauren store in New York, as a homage.
Master Suite
Design team: Home Front Build
Bedroom
BEFORE: Pale blue walls and dingy off-white painted window trim, crown molding and baseboards dominated.
Design team: Home Front Build
Bedroom
BEFORE: Pale blue walls and dingy off-white painted window trim, crown molding and baseboards dominated.
AFTER: The room was brightened with white paint. The window shutters were replaced with relaxed Roman shades. The original hardwood flooring was refinished and topped with a plush area rug. New and vintage furnishings now populate the sunny space. Hidden technology was installed by way of ceiling speakers and a TV that drops down.
Bathroom
BEFORE: You might call it peach or you might call it salmon. Whatever you call it, the color dominated the old bathroom, which had a giant tub taking up an entire wall.
BEFORE: You might call it peach or you might call it salmon. Whatever you call it, the color dominated the old bathroom, which had a giant tub taking up an entire wall.
AFTER: The peachy-salmon-colored tub was replaced with one of two quartzite-topped vanities; the other is on the opposite wall. In the seaside-themed suite, the old tile was removed and the bathroom became lined with ocean-blue textured tile. Tracery work adorns the ceiling as a nod to old-world craftsmanship.
BEFORE: A tiny vanity was centered on the wall between the tub and the toilet.
AFTER: A free-standing soaking tub with a mirrored exterior replaced the little vanity, and the walls, flooring and windows got a much-needed makeover. The toilet was relocated to an enclosed area across the room.
Guest Bathroom
Design team: SGS International
BEFORE: The tub and tile colors were a cross between aqua and mint, and the shower stall appeared a bit claustrophobic.
Design team: SGS International
BEFORE: The tub and tile colors were a cross between aqua and mint, and the shower stall appeared a bit claustrophobic.
AFTER: The tub was removed, a frameless shower was added and the surfaces got a glam-fab update with chevron wall tiles and grayish-white hexagonal floor tiles. A vanity with a porcelain slab counter that mimics the look of marble is another luxe addition.
Teen Suite
Design team: The Art of Room Design
Bedroom
BEFORE: Pastels ruled via the walls, ceiling and area rug. Seen here are the existing window shutters.
Design team: The Art of Room Design
Bedroom
BEFORE: Pastels ruled via the walls, ceiling and area rug. Seen here are the existing window shutters.
AFTER: The Art of Room Design team glammed up the space — the theme is “rock glam” — with lush textures and furnishings, focusing on a charcoal-and-white scheme. The original fireplace wood trim was kept but got a fresh coat of paint and matte black slate and glass geometric tile around it.
Sunroom
BEFORE: Light blue trim accented the windows of the octagonal room, which had an abundance of natural light.
BEFORE: Light blue trim accented the windows of the octagonal room, which had an abundance of natural light.
AFTER: The striking room become even more dramatic with the addition of black wall-to-wall sisal carpet topped with a plush ivory area rug. Custom ivory embroidered scrollwork on the Roman shades was the big splurge for the space, designer Maria Videla-Juniel says.
Bathroom
BEFORE: Dated fixtures, tile, paint and lighting defined the old bathroom.
BEFORE: Dated fixtures, tile, paint and lighting defined the old bathroom.
AFTER: Fabulous touches abound in the newly designed bathroom, including striking tilework, brushed-brass fixtures and accents, and a free-standing soaking tub.
Nanny’s Bathroom
Designer: Suzy Kloner Design
BEFORE: The drab and dated space could have been called functional at best.
Designer: Suzy Kloner Design
BEFORE: The drab and dated space could have been called functional at best.
AFTER: Designer Suzy Kloner injected fresh features while staying true to the elegance of the home. Salmon is the main yet soft accent color in the neutral palette.
A claw-foot tub with polished brass fixtures is a fitting replacement for what was there.
Gardener’s Retreat
Design team: Rose Thicket Botanical Design House
BEFORE: The 144-square-foot brick cottage was originally used as a teahouse and then for storage. It was empty before the design team tackled it and the surrounding oak woodland.
Design team: Rose Thicket Botanical Design House
BEFORE: The 144-square-foot brick cottage was originally used as a teahouse and then for storage. It was empty before the design team tackled it and the surrounding oak woodland.
AFTER: Justina and Trevor Freel designed furnishings and created art to transform the space into a honeybee-themed retreat called Bee’s Bliss. A plaster craftsperson covered the interior walls with American Clay natural plaster. The Freels added salvaged oak beams and installed a blue slate tile floor. The kitchen has a La Cornue CornuFé 90 stove and a French copper jam pan they found at the Rose Bowl Flea Market.
The doors were painted in Farrow & Ball’s Oval Room Blue, and cast iron bee knobs were added.
More
Past Meets Present at 2017 Pasadena Showcase House of Design
More photos of the rooms and exterior
Design Calendar 2017: Where to Go and What to See This Year
More
Past Meets Present at 2017 Pasadena Showcase House of Design
More photos of the rooms and exterior
Design Calendar 2017: Where to Go and What to See This Year
Location: Pasadena, California
When: April 23 through May 21, 2017; 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays; 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Cost: $35 to $45. Proceeds from the home and garden tour, now in its 53rd year, benefit music enrichment programs in Southern California. Tickets and more info
Foyer and Staircase
Design team: L’Esperance Design
BEFORE: The foyer, with its stairway and intricate woodwork, was a sea of mint green. Even the staircase’s carpet was a pale green.
More coverage: Past Meets Present at 2017 Pasadena Showcase House of Design